"If a member of the public would want to observe the process, we will accommodate as many as possible," Ms. Noren added. To watch tonight's vote counting in action, Ms. Noren needed to know by end of day last Thursday.

"Our most recent renovation included a viewing area for members of the public that can accommodate 5 or 6 people," she told the Heart Beat. People who want to review the process from start to finish should "arrange a meeting with me in advance," Noren said. That actually sounds like a great field trip for almost any age of students.

Absentee ballot processing starts before the election, although ballots are not scanned until Election Day and no results are generated until after the election, she explained. Soon, camera recording of ballot counting will provide other publicly available information that "may be reviewed post election with me or a member of my staff," Mrs. Noren said.

Though watchers and observers cannot interfere with poll workers, "I welcome their advice," she added. "Over the years, I have been happy to implement their recommendations."